Apparatus for forming fibers



Sept- 24, 1957 L. M. HEDGES APPARATUS FOR FORMING FIBERS Filed Dec. 30. 1952 INVENTOR Z5: Mf/msas United States Patent 2,807,048- APPARATUS FOR FoRMiNG FIBERS Lee M. Hed es, somerville, NL I1, assignar to johns man: ville Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 80,-1-9 52, S erial No. 328,655 4 Gianna.- (e1. 18==- .6)

The present invention relates to the formation of wool,- or fibers, from amolten raw material and particularly to fiber spinning methods and apparatus of the type dis closed in patents to Powell Nos. 2,428,810, 2,520,168 and 2,520,169.

The invention resides in a system of multiple oo-acting spinning rotors or wheels wherein molten raw material is deposited on the peripheral surfaces of the rotors and discharge therefrom by centrifugal force in the form of fibers. In previous systems of this type the rotors have been so positioned and rotated in such directions that the molten raw material has been'intercepted by the rotors with considerable impact resulting in splashing or spattering of the molten material; This spattering has resulted in relatively large quantities of shot (unfiberizedmaterial) being mixed with the wool produced. The primary object of the present invention is to provide a rotor arrangement in whichspattering is considerably reduced and a cleaner product is formed. 7

A further object of the present invention is to provide a: rotor arrangement in which the fib'eriz'ing rotors produce substantially equal quantities of fiber.

My invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages will become apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus forming a part of the instant invention, as viewed at a very slight angle;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a modified construction;

Fig. 3 is a top elevation of the construction of Fig. 2 as seen from plane 3-3; and,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1 as seen from plane 44.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown a pair of fiberizing rotors 2 and 4 mounted for rotation about axes which are shown parallel and horizontal but which may be arranged at slight angles to each other as shown in the said patent to Powell No. 2,428,810. Whether exactly parallel or horizontal or arranged at slight angles, the axes of rotation of the apparatus of this invention may be described as generally parallel and horizontal. The rotors are so arranged that adjacent portions of their peripheral surfaces 6 and 8 define a rather narrow bight 10 therebetween, and as indicated by the arrows, the direction of rotation of rotors 2 and 4 is such that surfaces 6 and 8 move downwardly toward the bight. Positioned above fiberizing rotor 2 is a feed rotor 12 mounted for rotation in the same direction as rotor 2 about an axis generally parallel with the axes of the fiberizing rotors. Extending from a cupola (not shown) is a trough 16, the mouth of which is positioned to discharge a stream 18 of molten material onto a downwardly moving portion of the peripheral surface 14 of rotor 12. As shown in the drawing, the peripheral surface 14 and the stream are moving in the same general direction at the region of contact and thus portion 20 Patented? Sept. 24, 1951 "ice 2, of the stream is projected outwardly but primarily downwardly onto the peripheral surface 6 of rotor 2 from which a portion 22 is projected outwardly and downwardly' onto rotor 4. A portion of the molten material projectedonto surface 8 of rotor 4 is projected bacle onto rotor 2 and again projected onto rotor 4.

As indicated above, the primary function of rotors 2 and 4 is to convert molten material into fibers and for carrying out this function ithas been found satisfactory to employ rotors approximately 13 inches in diameter rotating at about 8000 R. P. M. With the size and speeds specified it is apparent that considerable spattering can occur when m'olten material strikes the rotor surfaces. Where material is projected somewhat downwardly from rotor 2 onto a region of rotor 4 adjacent bight 10,. the spattering which occurs results in the inclusion of very little if any shot in the product produced. However, spattering from rotor 2 results in considerable shot in the product. In the instant invention, spattering from rotor 2 is eliminated or reduced to a minimum by placing feed rotor 12 in a particular location with respect to rotor 2 and trough 12.

Feed rotor 12 ismounted with its peripheral surface 14 passing closely adjacent the peripheral surface of rotor 2. That portion of peripheral surface 14 which is adjacent rotor 4 is shown as tangent to a vertical plane containing the axis of rotor 2, but it will be understood that satisfactory results can be obtained when this portion passes adjacent said plane, i. e., to the side thereof remote from rotor 4 or slightly therethrough. As viewed from above, or from the pointof discharge of stream 18 (see Fig. 3 for an illustration) the arrangement of rotor 12 is such that the virtual edge of its periphery which is adjacent rotor 4 lies in or adjacent the vertical plane containing the axis of rotor 2. A very satisfactory arrangement, with a feed rotor 7 inches in diameter, rotating at 4000 R. P. M., is one in which the virtual edge referred to, or the right-hand portion of the periphery of rotor 12 in Fig. 1, is about 1 /2 inches from the vertical plane and the distance between the peripheries of rotors 12 and 2 is about /2 inch. Trough 16 is positioned to discharge stream 18 onto the periphery of rotor 12 at a region thereof adjacent the said virtual edge and hence adjacent said plane. It will be noted that a tangent to the periphery of rotor 12 at the region of interception of stream 18 extends in the same general direction as the stream (an angle in the neighborhood of 45 degrees or less) and thus the periphery of rotor 12 at the region of interception may be said to move in substantially the same direction as the stream. Likewise, projected .portion 20 of stream 18 is intercepted by a region of the periphery of rotor 2 which is moving in substantially the same direction as the projected portion. With such an arrangement, spattering will be considerablv reduced at both rotors 12 and 2.

As will be seen from Fig. 4, the peripheral surface 14 of rotor 12 preferably is formed as one very shallow V-shaped annular groove 24, While peripheral surface 6 of rotor 2 is provided with a plurality of annular grooves 26, the size of grooves 26 being greatly exaggerated in the drawing for purposes of illustration. All of the rotors are mounted on shafts 28, journalled in bearings 30 of suitable construction, there being pulleys 32 fixed on each shaft for engagement by belts driven by suitable motors (not shown). The details of construction of the rotors is preferably similar to the construction shown in patent to Powell 2,529,960.

In operation, stream 18 of molten raw material is discharged from trough 16 onto peripheral surface 14 of rotor 12 as already described. Because of the smoothness of the peripheral surface of rotor 12 and the angle at which stream 18 strikes the surface, only a very minor portion of the material of stream 18 tends to adhere to the rotor. Main portion 20 of stream 18 is laterally defiected, spread somewhat, greatly accelerated and projected toward rotor 2, from which a portion 22 is projected onto rotor 4. Since rotors 2 and 4 are provided with grooves 26, rings of molten material become bonded to the rotor surfaces. Bonding of the material to rotors 2 and 4 is also promoted by the successive accelerations to which portions of the stream are subjected as they are thrown back and forth between the rotors at the bight 10. By reason of the rapid rotation of rotors 2 and 4, material is thrown from the rings bonded thereto in the form of fibers.

In Fig. 2 there is shown a modification of the apparatus described above, the modified construction being substantially the same as the construction of Fig. 1, except for the provision of a second feed rotor 13 positioned above rotor 4. Since in Fig. 2 the positions of rotors 2, 4 and 12 in relation to each other and to trough 16 are the same as in Fig. 1, corresponding elements of each Figure have the same reference numerals. Feed rotor 13 occupies the same relative position with respect to rotor 4 that feed rotor 12 occupies with respect to rotor 2. A second trough 17 extending from a cupola (not shown) is positioned to discharge a stream of molten material onto the surface of rotor 13 in the same manner that stream 18 is discharged onto rotor 12;. To insure that the two streams, during projection from one fiberizing rotor to another, will not interfere with each other, the feed rotors 12 and 13 are offset from each other in the direction of the axes of rotors 2 and 4 as shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of the modified construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is the same as for the apparatus of Fig. 1. The modified arrangement has the advantage of providing a symmetrical system in which the fiberizing rotors produce substantially the same quantity of fiber.

Having thus described my invention in rather full detail, it will be understood that these details need not be strictly adhered to and that various changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus comprising, a fiberizing rotor having an axis of rotation and a peripheral surface, a feed rotor having an axis of rotation generally parallel with the axis of rotation of said fiberizing rotor and a peripheral surface positioned adjacent the peripheral surface of said fiberizing rotor, means for discharging a stream of molten raw material onto the peripheral surface of said feed rotor at a region adjacent a virtual edge thereof, means positioning said feed rotor with said virtual edge adjacent a plane containing the axis of rotation of said fiberizing rotor and extending parallel with said stream, and means for rotating said rotors in the same direction.

2. An apparatus comprising, first and second rotors mounted for rotation about generally parallel horizontal axes and having peripheral surfaces positioned to form a bi ght therebetween, means for rotating said first and second rotors in opposite directions with said surfaces moving downwardly toward said bight, a third rotor having a periphery, means positioning said third rotor above said first rotor with a portion of said periphery adjacent said second rotor passing adjacent a vertical plane containing the axis of rotation of said first rotor, means for rotating said third rotor in the same direction as said first rotor, and means for discharging molten raw material onto said periphery at a region adjacent said plane.

3. The apparatus specified in claim 2 and including, a fourth rotor having a periphery and mounted above said second rotor in a position corresponding to the position of said third rotor above said first rotor, means for rotating said fourth rotor in the same direction as said second rotor, and means for discharging molten raw material onto the periphery of said fourth rotor.

4. The apparatus specified in claim 3 wherein said third and fourth rotors are offset relative to each other in the direction of said axes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,520,168 Powell Aug. 29, 1950 2,520,169 Powell Aug. 29, 1950 2,561,843 Coleman July 24, 1951 2,577,431 Powell Dec. 4, 1951 

